The chalk test line on gasket hatch should be continuous; a non-continuous line indicates which condition?

• A. Alpha contamination
• B. Beta contamination
• C. Gamma contamination
• D. No contamination indicated

Answer: (B)

A chalk test line around a gasket hatch is used to check boundary integrity during contamination control. When the hatch is sealed and tested, a continuous line means the boundary has remained intact and no surface contamination has crossed the seal. If the line becomes non-continuous (broken), it signals that contamination has breached the boundary in a way typical of surface-bound, mobile contamination—beta contamination. Alpha contamination is less likely to spread in this test, and gamma contamination would show up differently due to its penetrating nature, so the broken line specifically points to beta contamination. A continuous line would indicate no contamination indicated.